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Larne and Verne visitors in the news!

This month we were pleased to see media coverage of the work of two visitors groups, Larne Visitors Group and Verne Visitors Group. This was particularly important as both of these groups are volunteer-led - carrying out all of the functions of a visitors group without any paid staff.

Larne House Visitors Group, which visits immigration detainees at a short term holding facility in Larne, near Belfast, were featured in an article by Culture Hub magazine. Heiko Topp, speaking on behalf of the group, spoke of the group's role in identifying vulnerable detainees and providing support to those held in the centre. People are held there for short periods before they are moved, often to other detention centres. You can read the Culture Hub article here.

Verne Visitors Group, which visits in the Verne detention centre on the Isle of Portland, were featured in a news story by the Dorset Echo. The group was set up in 2014 in response to the opening of the UK's second largest, and most isolated, detention centre. The group have grown from strength to strength and are now visiting regularly with people travelling from all over Dorset to support those detained. Charles Campion Smith, on behalf of the group, said how important it was to raise awareness: "we are trying to let people know what's happening on our doorstep. If we pretend it's not there we are turning our backs on the whole problem". You can read the Dorset Echo article here.